1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector continuity checking device, which can perform inspection of electrical continuity and detection of incomplete insertion of terminals in a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
In FIG. 7, a conventional connector continuity checking device 1 has a connector holding part 3 substantially in a shape of gateposts in which a connector 2 is adapted to be set, and a checking part 4 arranged movably back and forth with respect to the connector holding part 3.
The checking part 4 has a main block 5 of a hollow rectangular shape. In a connector engaging chamber 6 in the main block 5 are arranged a plurality of continuity checking pins 8 in a columnar shape which is capable of contacting with terminal 7 (see FIG. 8) in the connector 2, and a plurality of lance displacement detecting pins 9 in a form of a plate having a tapered tip end for detecting incomplete insertion of the terminals 7 (see FIG. 8).
The continuity checking pins 8 and the lance displacement detecting pins 9 are formed of metal. Each of the lance displacement detecting pins 9 includes an integral block portion 10 in a rectangular shape at its base side. The continuity checking pin 8 and the lance displacement detecting pin 9 are separated by an insulating sleeve 11 and fixed by press fitting. In other words, the insulating sleeve 11 of synthetic resin is press fitted around the continuity checking pin 8, and the block portion 10 made of metal is press fitted around the insulating sleeve 11.
The continuity checking pin 8, the insulating sleeve 11 and the lance displacement detecting pin 9 constitute a piece of set pin 12. It is to be noted that the insulating sleeve 11 is formed from a round rod by drilling and cutting around an outer periphery, and provided with a flange 13 for positioning and stopping the block portion 10 at its rearward end.
The continuity checking pin 8 is resiliently biased toward the connector holding part 3 by means of a coil spring 14 (see FIG. 8). The block portion 10 of the lance displacement detecting pin 9 is guided along a bore 15 in the main block 5 to move back and forth. The connector holding part 3 is fixed to a frame 16 by way of coil springs 17. The main block 5 is designed so as to slide on the frame 16 along guide shafts 19 by way of links (not shown) by actuating a lever 18 to rotate.
When the connector 2 is inserted into the connector holding part 3 from above in FIG. 7, and the lever 18 is rotated forward to move the main block 5 toward the connector 2, a front half portion of the connector 2 is inserted into the main block 5 and distal ends of the continuity checking pins 8 are brought into contact with distal ends of the terminals 7. Electric wires 20 (see FIG. 7) connected to the terminals and electric wires 21 connected to the continuity checking pins 8 are connected to a checker (not shown), and presence of electrical continuity in the terminals 7 can be confirmed by flashing of a lamp of the checker.
When one of the terminals has not been completely inserted into a terminal receiving chamber 23 in a connector housing 22 as represented by an upper terminal 7a in FIG. 8, a flexible locking lance 24 in the connector housing 22 is still in a flexed state in a flexing space 25. Accordingly, a distal end of the lance displacement detecting pin 9 is abutted against a tip end of the flexible locking lance 24 to prevent a further movement of the continuity checking pin 8. Thus, the continuity checking pin 8 cannot be brought into contact with the terminal 7a, resulting in a defective conduction, and the incomplete insertion of the terminal 7a can be detected.
By the way, in the above described prior art, it has been concerned that when the distal end of the lance displacement detecting pin 9 is abutted against the distal end of the flexible locking lance 24, its speed and load may move both the lance displacement detecting pin 9 and the flexible locking lance 24 in either of upward and downward directions. In this case, the flexible locking lance 24 is likely to escape in upward or downward direction and there is a fear that even the incomplete insertion like the terminal 7a may be recognized as being electrically continued. It is to be noted that the above described may be concerned with a position of the flexible locking lance 24 within a dimensional tolerance, a size of the terminal 7 within the dimensional tolerance and so on.
Meanwhile, because the continuity checking pin 8 and the lance displacement detecting pin 9 are integrally fixed, there is a fear that in case where the lance displacement detecting pin 9 is not positioned accurately, the continuity checking pin 8 becomes out of positional alignment with the terminal 7, when the lance displacement detecting pin 9 is inserted into the flexing space 25 from a front opening 26 (see FIG. 8). Thus accuracy of the continuity detection may be deteriorated.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a connector continuity checking device with high accuracy.
In order to solve the above described problems, there is provided according to the present invention, a connector continuity checking device comprising continuity checking pins corresponding to terminals in a connector, and lance displacement detecting pins corresponding to lances having elasticity and adapted to lock the terminals, wherein the continuity checking pins are respectively provided at their distal ends with concave terminal receiving portions to receive distal ends of the terminals, and the lance displacement detecting pins are respectively provided at their distal ends with concave lance receiving portions to receive distal ends of the lances.
According to another aspect of the invention, the concave terminal receiving portions and the concave lance receiving portions are formed in a U-shape or a V-shape in cross section.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, when the distal end of the continuity checking pin has come in contact with the distal end of the terminal for the check, the terminal is guided by the terminal receiving portion. Because the continuity checking pin and the lance displacement detecting pin are integrally fixed, even though the lance displacement detecting pin is not accurately positioned, the continuity checking pin can reliably catch the distal end of the terminal. The check with high accuracy can be thus obtained.
Moreover, in case where the terminal has been incompletely inserted, when the distal end of the lance displacement detecting pin has come in contact with the distal end of the lance, the distal end of the lance is guided by the lance receiving portion. Even though the lance displacement detecting pin is abutted against the lance on occasion of the check and apt to wobble with its speed and load, the lance displacement detecting pin will not escape from the distal end of the lance, since the distal end of the lance has been inserted into the lance receiving portion. Similarly, even though there are differences in the position of the lance within the dimensional tolerance and in the size of the terminal within the dimensional tolerance, the lance displacement detecting pin will not escape from the distal end of the lance. Accordingly, the incomplete insertion of the terminal can be reliably detected, and the check with high accuracy can be obtained.
According to the second aspect of the invention, guiding the distal ends of the terminal and the lance will be facilitated, and a wider guiding area can be obtained than with a simple recess.